I don't hunt, says victim of saboteurs

By Neil Tweedie and Richard Alleyne

12:00AM GMT 12 Jan 2001

A RETIRED doctor whose two vehicles were destroyed in a firebomb attack had been warned by police that his name was on a hit list used by animal rights extremists, although he has no interest in foxhunting.

Dr Richard Cockerill, 64, said yesterday that he was mystified as to why he should have been included on the list, published on the internet just before Christmas.

The website purported to show the names and addresses of active members and supporters of the Old Surrey, Burstow and West Kent foxhounds, which has been specifically targeted by hunt saboteurs since September.

Hunt officials have recorded some 60 incidents, culminating in the firebombing of Dr Cockerill's home in Oxted, Surrey, in the early hours of Wednesday.

The former GP and his wife, Dodo, were alerted by a telephone call from neighbours who told them that there was a fire in their front garden and the fire brigade had already been called.

The couple, who were in a bedroom at the back of the house, looked out of an upstairs window to see their new Honda CRV 4-wheel drive ablaze. Flames were also coming from beneath their Mitsubishi Shogun.

Dr Cockerill used a hose to try to save the second vehicle but it, too, was consumed by flames. The total value of the vehicles was about £22,000.

Dr Cockerill said the fire could have spread to his house if his neighbours' son, who had been watching television, had not been so alert.

In December, he and his wife were warned to be vigilant by officers who told him of the website. The GP asked if his non-involvement in hunting could be made known to the authors. His name did disappear from the list, but only for a few days.

He added: "I feel not only a sense of personal outrage, but sadness that in this country differences of opinion should result in such extreme acts.

"I don't know why my name was on that list, but I do not take part in hunting. I last went to a hunt about a year ago, simply as a spectator.

"My wife has been a hunt follower but does not ride to hounds. Two of my four daughters hunt, but they don't live at home."

The two vehicles are now undergoing forensic examinations, and the Cockerills have been warned to maintain extra vigilance. "One feels a little more vulnerable than before, but I would not say I'm living in fear," said Dr Cockerill.

Brian Perrin, the master of the Old Surrey, said he was similarly mystified as to why the GP had been singled out.

The hunt, he said, had been targeted since September when a saboteur had allegedly been run down and injured by a vehicle during a protest against the Old Surrey.

"In fact, the hunt was in the next valley when the gentleman in question was injured," said Mr Perrin. "It was nothing to do with us, but we are paying for it."

The master said he had compiled a diary of 60 incidents since the saboteur had been run over.

"I don't think any hunt in the country has had to put up with what we have," he added.

Just days after the saboteur was injured, the hunt kennels manager, Mark Bycroft, 29, his pregnant wife, Victoria, and baby daughter, had to flee their home as 51 anti-hunt protesters surrounded the building. The demonstrators, wearing balaclavas and masks, overpowered two policemen with CS gas, hurled rocks and stones at kennel staff and screamed abuse.

One of the hunt supporters was injured along with the two policemen. More than 17 windows were smashed. The Bycrofts had been warned that the mob was on its way and managed to escape before the attack.

Shortly after the incident posters appeared in the surrounding area describing Mr Bycroft as a "pervert" and "cowardly thug" who likes to "butcher animals".

Another featured him and his wife with the caption, "Meet the Bycrofts. They like to kill animals for fun."

At the time Mr Bycroft said: "These people have no respect for anything. They are not just anti-hunting, they are anti-everything and have an absolute disregard for the law.

"It has gone past protesting. It is now a case of attacking people, their way of life and their families. We are absolutely terrified."

Other members of the hunt were inundated with threatening phone calls. The callers signed off with the words: "I hope your house is insured for fire."

In October, one of the vans used by the hunt was set ablaze and destroyed.

Then, female members of the hunt were inundated with phone calls after their numbers were placed on cards in phone boxes offering sexual services.

Police warned more than 35 families that their names, addresses and telephone numbers had been placed on the internet hit list, which described them as "blood junkies". Supporters' cars had their windows smashed and a hunt master had the windows of her home broken on New Year's Eve.

The amateur whip, David Pitfield, was inundated with calls when an advert was placed in a local newspaper offering his household possessions at ridiculously low prices.

One 31-year-old hunt member received a steady stream of videos and other mail-order goods. And a charity garden party was attacked by hunt saboteurs wearing balaclavas.

Brian Perring, Master of the hunt, said: "This has become very personal. These people are not animal lovers, they are people haters. They hate us.

"I have had to run the gauntlet of protesters outside my home. They call me a 'Blood junkie or hunt scum'. My wife Jane was in the house on her own when they came in the garden. It was extreme intimidation.

"But it will not put us off. We will not be bullied. What I don't understand is if they are passionate in their beliefs, why hide behind balaclavas? I don't cover my face.

"The reason is, they are constantly breaking the law which they have no respect for."

His comments were echoed by a 31-year-old hunt follower who had been attacked in the past. The woman, who prefers to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, said: "This has been a horrific time for us. They have really upped the ante.

"But the more people are bullied, the more resilient they become. There is a sort of Blitz mentality setting in. We had an enormous turn out on Boxing Day - the biggest we have had for years. Even people who don't necessarily support hunts came out because they don't like to see people being pushed around.

"They don't like bullies and these people are bullies. With their balaclavas on, they're cowardly bullies at that."